Worried about having pregnancy with obesity ????
Read out to understand the risks and how to deal with them !
Being pregnant with a high BMI puts you and your coming baby at certain health risks and possible complications , which can be managed better if you consult your healthcare provider well in time , ideally before conception , when you are planning a pregnancy.
Who is considered obese ?
As a general rule , any person having a BMI 30 or more , is considered Obese. Having a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered to what is called being Overweight .
What is BMI ?
BMI is a measurement of a person's weight with respect to his/her height . It can be calculated by dividing your weight ( in kilograms ) by your height ( in metres squared ).
If you find it difficult to calculate it by yourself , no worries !! there are several predesigned BMI Calculators available online , that you can use and get it !
Now lets dive into the topic a little deeper
A question commonly asked by women is ,
Could Obesity affect my chances of getting pregnant ??
The answer is unfortunately YES
With obesity , your body's internal hormonal environment is a bit altered and your ovaries may not function optimally . This can lead to defective ovulation ( egg formation ) or even no ovulation at all naturally and sometimes you are only left with the option of conception with medical treatment . Infertility related to obesity is most commonly attributed to Polycystic ovarian syndrome.( PCOS)
If you like to read more about PCOs ,visit my blogpost here :
How can obesity harm my pregnancy ?
There are a number of complications , that you have increased chances of encountering with a high BMI during pregnancy .
DURING Pregnancy :
1) Raised Blood pressure ( with/without damage to other organ systems, a term named Preeclampsia)
2) Thrombosis - havind blood clots in legs /lungs .This can be a life-threatening condition.
3) Gestational Diabetes .
4) Urinary tract infections
5) Sleep apnea
6) Gall bladder disease
7) Mental health problems
RELATED TO DELIVERY :
1) Dysfunctional Labour
2) Shoulder dystocia , CPD , birth asphyxia
3) Instrumental delivery
4) Increased chances of cesarean section
5) Anesthesia- related complications
AFTER BIRTH :
1) Postpartum hemorrhage that implies increased blood loss following delivery
2) Thrombophlebitis meaning inflammation of your veins with/without blood clot formation
3) Wound infections
Is My baby also at risk ??
There are a number of Birth defects , that the baby is at increased risk of developing like
Neural Tube Defects
Cardiovascular system anomalies
cleft lip / palate
hydrocephalus
anorectal malformation
Other than these , baby is at risk of being
* larger than average for gestation
* miscarriages / stillbirth
* later on develop childhood obesity / asthma
I know the discussion may have got you a little more worried ..but as i previously mentioned , there are only a bit increased chances for these . You may not necessarily develop all of these . For your reassurance , majority of the obese women are observed to have absolutely normal pregnancy and healthy outcomes ! also to mention , with certain precautionery measures which i am about to mention , u can combat the adversities and minimise the risks !
What Can I Do to Reduce the Risk of Complications ?
For a better understanding , i am dividing this part into two sections , hope this will be covered in detail .
Before Conception :
When you are planning to get pregnant , visit your healthcare provider so that she can make sure you enter the pregnancy with minimum possible risks . This visit should include calculation of your BMI , review of any pre-existing medical disorders and referral accordingly to the specialists .
You are going to get a detailed discussion about weight reduction strategies including
* physical workout ( walk / yoga / gym )
* Diet and lifestyle modification
You will have to work on you dietary habits and switch to a more healthy/balanced diet .You can consult a registered dietician for this purpose .For quick reference, you can visit these links for information your diet plan :
http://www.eatingwell.com/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible#section1
bariatic surgery ( if applicable ) e.g gastric bypass / gastric banding
http://www.eatingwell.com/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible#section1
bariatic surgery ( if applicable ) e.g gastric bypass / gastric banding
Your doctor will prescribe you folic acid at this stage to decrease chances of fetal birth defects .
During Pregnancy :
Once you get pregnant ,
- ensure early visit to your healthcare provider ( ideally specialist-led care )
- regular antenatal appointments
- high dose folic acid intake
- visit to dietician to get a suitable diet plan
- moderate exercise ( 30 minutes atleast 3 times a week )
Here's a quick link to my favourite physical workout expert ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52uvwCi03yE
Here's a quick link to my favourite physical workout expert ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52uvwCi03yE
Now heres a very common question regarding weight gain in pregnancy , i-e
How will i get to know how much weight i should gain in pregnancy ?
Well, it depends on your pre-pregnancy weight .
To simplify it for you , if your pre-pregnancy BMI is more than 30 , the recommended weight gain for you would be in the range of 5 to 9 kg .
Planning a Future pregnancy :
After birth of your baby , you will receive advice / a scheduled appointment for discussion regarding ideal birth spacing . If your BMI is above 30 , you will need to reduce weight in between pregnancies. This will help reduce risks to you and your baby and most importantly , increase your chances of coneption naturally ( e.g if you previously conceived with treatment ! )
So concluding the session , pregnancy with obesity can be worrisome , but with a little extra care and precautions , the possibility of complications can be markedly reduced .
Please ensure your feedback for improvement . If you have further queries on the topic , feel free to write down to me in the comment section below .
For more information regarding your health problems , keep visiting my facebook page :
Mypregnancyguide
